Note-Taking

Note-taking is a touchy subject for people with learning disabilities. If you are documented with your school, talk to disability services to see what sort of help they offer when it comes to notes. There is a chance that you can get outlines from professors, help from classmates, permission to tape lessons, etc.

For those of us who are undocumented, for whatever reason (a post for another day), I have, over the years, and with the help of some books, advice of friends, and lots of trial and error, come up with a system, and some tips:

Spring Break

Going to Berlin for Spring Break rocked my socks. No, really. I did, however, learn some things about traveling with ADD.

• Have some sort of folder or envelope in your purse or traveling bag with your itinerary, tickets, info for accommodations, and passport. Much easier to find all this stuff if it is together.
• Research food ahead of time, because by the time you remember that you are really hungry, get distracted by pretty German things one more time, and then finally decide you really truly need to eat, you are to hungry to sit down, look through the guide book, pick what you want to eat, and find it.
• Have a rough itinerary, but don’t be disappointed if you end up spending more time at one place because it is shiny, and miss others.
• Don’t be disappointed when you cannot fit in everything you wanted to do and planned to do. Being ADD, you are always optimistic about how much time something will take. You cannot actually slow time down.
• (not really ADD) Try not to travel to Berlin when there is a transportation strike
• Pack light for the plane ride. Yes, it is seven hours, but you really do not need three books, knitting, homework, a notebook, an ipod, and a magazine. The seat-backs come with TVs and movies, and it is an overnight flight, so you will probably sleep through most of it anyway
• Don’t stress out about little things. This is a vacation
• The plane will not suddenly fall out of the sky. I promise. If it does, you can beat me up.
• Don’t forget to plan time to sleep.

He is sadistic

Dear Professor,

There is a school mandated 15 minute break for all 3 hour classes. Just because you usually give us 20-30 minutes does not mean that you can decide to not give us a break and run over by 10 minutes. That noise you heard, was me vibrating in my seat, because I am physically incapable of sitting still that long. no love, me I would like to point out that this is a seminar on Milton. Come on, you expect me to stay awake for three hours reading 1600s poetry, with no coffee?

No Love, shiny

Book Review

Currently, I only own two books on ADD.

I get others from the library when I have time to read them. The big plus about Terry Matlin’s Survival Tips For Women With AD/HD is that I can pick it up, read a few tips, then put it down and get distracted by other things.

I have, of course, attacked it with my handy-dandy highlighters, so that I can remember tips that I like, and ones that I really like get photocopied or put on sticky notes. I may post some of my favorites from time to time, but this needs to be quick because I have homework that needs doing

ADD Lesson Number 9003

Taking Adderall does not mean that one’s procrastination goes away, it just means that you procrastinate productively!

Things Done Today That Were Not My English Paper

1. Desk Cleaned
2. Books Organized
   Under the Bed of Doom Organized
3. School Folder on Computer Organized
4. Files Backed Up
5. Clothes Folded and Put Away from Laundry Done Two Weeks Ago
6. Yarn Box Organized